Quality Assurance of E-learning. ENQA Workshop Report 14

E-learning in the European Higher Education Area has stampeded its way to the foreground of the Quality Assurance (QA) forum, and has become a key issue among quality assurance agencies and institutions in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Because internet-based learning is currently such a relevant topic, there is a dire need for the creation of a common language and guidelines amongst all QA agencies in order to proceed in a collectively positive direction in regards to developing a quality culture within the frame of E-learning further. This report gives a general overview of the matters discussed and challenges faced within the sector of quality assurance in E-learning. The workshop ENQA held in coordination with the National Agency for Higher Education, in Sigtuna, Sweden in October, 2009 created a dialogue between institutions, quality assurance agencies, students and other stakeholders who are directly affected by the quality of E-learning, and the need for continuous improvement in this field that will foster positive outcomes. Articles included in this report are: (1) E-learning in the context of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) (Josep Grifoll); (2) How to assess an E-learning institution: Methodology, design and implementation (Esther Huertas, Anna Prades and Sebastian Rodriguez); (3) Modern E-learning: Qualitative education accessibility concept (Yuri Rubin); (4) Challenges for quality assurance organisations: The case of NVAO (Fred Mulder); and (5) Benchmarking eLearning in higher education (Ebba Ossiannilsson). Programme of the workshop is appended. Individual articles contain figures, tables, and references. (Contains 49 footnotes.)